Curtis Blaydes Believes He Is Next UFC Heavyweight Title Contender

For the time being, all of Stipe Miocic’s focus is on defending his title at UFC 226 vs. Daniel Cormier.

But Saturday night at UFC 225, Miocic – or Cormier, for that matter – might have watched the next contender rise to the top.

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Curtis Blaydes shined in his hometown of Chicago, finishing former challenger and ex-Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. The 27-year-old added Overeem’s name to a list that also includes Mark Hunt and Oleksiy Oliynyk.

“I knew this fight was a big one and I wanted to make sure I stepped up in my moment,” Blaydes said. “Overeem is a legend and a world champion. There’s no doubt that I am the next one in line for the title.

“Give me Stipe, give me DC; all that matters is that I’m the next one in line.”

Blaydes is 10-1 with a no-contest in his career, including a 5-1 mark inside the Octagon. His lone career loss came to recent No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou.